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There is only one thing I love more than a roast turkey dinner: the leftovers. I welcome the challenge of creating something completely different from what was served the night before, especially because the gravy is still always lacking.

Turning the usual excess of turkey meat into a soup is a great idea. I love adding the color and sweet taste of butternut squash. Putting this together with fresh corn kernels and tortillas and then pureeing those, makes for a nicely textured, sweet tasting soup. Your family will not believe this combination came from the turkey served only a day or two before.

Enjoy sprucing up your leftovers while taking things from boring to brilliant. You'll be glad you did.

TURKEY-BUTTERNUT TORTILLA SOUP WITH ZESTY LIME SOUR CREAM

MAKES about 10 cups

For the soup:

1 (2 lb.) butternut squash

3 cups cooked turkey, shredded

1 1/4 cups onion, chopped

1 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears)

4 garlic cloves

1 jalapeno, seeded

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 corn tortillas cut into 2-inch squares

2 cups Roma tomatoes, seeded, chopped

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon ground cumin

6 cups chicken broth

6 ounces baby spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

For the sour cream:

1/2 cup pareve sour cream

1 tablespoon lime juice

Zest of one lime

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

WE FEED YOUR SOUL, INTELLECT --- AND STOMACH

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To get started, parbake your butternut squash first. This will make it easier to remove the skin and cube it up for the soup. The squash will not be completely baked when you remove it from the oven but simmering it in the soup will take care of that.

Prick the skin of the squash all over with a fork; this will keep it from exploding. Place in a 350 F oven for an hour. Let the squash cool until it's easy to handle, and then remove the skin and cut into cubes. You will need about 4 cups.

In a food processor, pulse the onion, corn kernels, garlic and jalapeno until a thick, choppy consistency is reached.

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add tortillas and saute them until crispy around the edges. Stir in corn-onion mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste and cumin. Simmer 7 minutes while stirring often.

In the stock pot, add chicken broth and butternut squash; bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Transfer small batches to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in spinach, cooking until wilted. Add turkey and simmer 5 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl combine sour cream, lime juice, lime zest from one lime and cumin. Stir all ingredients together.

Transfer soup to individual serving bowls and top with zesty lime sour cream.

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(Cathy Pollak runs her own vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She blogs about food and wine at noblepig.com. One for the Table is Amy Ephron's online magazine that specializes in food, politics, and love. http://www.oneforthetable.com)